HUMAN RIGHTS “This Crooked System” Police Abuse and Reform in Pakistan WATCH “This Crooked System” Police Abuse and Reform in Pakistan Copyright © 2016 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-6231-34068 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org SEPTEMBER 2016 ISBN: 978-1-6231-34068 “This Crooked System” Police Abuse and Reform in Pakistan Map .................................................................................................................................... I Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations .................................................................................. II Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Failure to Register and Investigate Crimes ................................................................................ 2 Registering False Cases, Making Arbitrary Arrests ...................................................................... 3 Torture and Ill-Treatment in Custody .........................................................................................4 Faked “Encounter Killings” .......................................................................................................4 Constraints Faced by Police ...................................................................................................... 5 Pakistan’s Culture of Impunity .................................................................................................. 5 Key Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 7 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 8 I. Police in Pakistan ............................................................................................................ 9 Attempts at Police Reform ........................................................................................................ 9 Institutional Arrangements in Provinces .................................................................................. 17 II. Police Abuse ................................................................................................................ 20 Failure to Register and Investigate Crimes .............................................................................. 20 Arbitrary Arrest and Detention ................................................................................................. 32 Torture and Ill-Treatment ........................................................................................................ 35 Extrajudicial Killings: Faked “Encounter Killings” .................................................................... 42 Infringements of Basic Rights ................................................................................................. 51 III. Constraints Faced by Police ......................................................................................... 55 Financial Constraints .............................................................................................................. 56 Human Resource Constraints .................................................................................................. 67 Excessive Control of the Civil Bureaucracy ............................................................................... 70 Flawed Criminal Justice System ............................................................................................... 70 Improper Interference ............................................................................................................. 72 Dual Authority in Balochistan .................................................................................................. 76 IV. Redress and Accountability: Police Perspectives ......................................................... 79 Need for Grievance Redress and Accountability Systems ........................................................ 80 External vs. Internal Accountability Systems .......................................................................... 80 Misuse of Complaint Systems ................................................................................................ 84 Public Fear of Police ............................................................................................................... 87 Role of Intermediaries ............................................................................................................. 87 V. Good Practices ............................................................................................................. 90 Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Sindh ..................................................................... 90 Police Facilitation Center ........................................................................................................ 91 E-Policing System .................................................................................................................. 92 Computerization of Police Records in Jhang, Punjab ................................................................ 93 VI. Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 95 To the Federal and Provincial Governments ............................................................................. 95 To the Police Services of Pakistan ......................................................................................... 100 To the Federal and Provincial Legislatures ............................................................................. 100 To Concerned Foreign Governments and Donors, including UNDP, DIFD, and USAID ............... 101 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................... 102 Map I HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2016 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations ASI – Assistant Sub-Inspector ASP – Assistant Superintendent of Police CCPO – Capital City Police Officer CCPSC – Capital City Public Safety Commission CMIS – Complaint Management Information System CONFIRM – Committee for Online FIR Management CPLC – Citizen-Police Liaison Committee CrPC – Criminal Procedure Code of Pakistan CSS – Central Superior Services of Pakistan dacoity – banditry dharna – sit-in DPO – District Police Officer DPSC – District Public Safety Commission DSP – District Superintendent of Police FATA – Federally Administered Tribal Areas FIR – First Information Report FIRMIS – FIR Management Information System FPCA – Federal Police Complaints Authority gunda – thug hari – landless tenant farmer HRCP – Human Rights Commission of Pakistan HRMIS – Human Resource Management Information System ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights IG – Inspector General of Police Ishtihari – an escapee who goes into hiding after being released on bail Jirga – tribal justice and dispute resolution system JIT – Joint Investigation Team KPK – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Littar – a strip of leather often used in beatings MLE – Medico-legal Exam MPA – Member Provincial Assembly Nazim – mayor NPSC – National Public Safety Commission NRB – National Reconstruction Bureau Panchayat – community justice and dispute resolution system PAT – Pakistan Awami Tehrik PCA – Police Complaint Authority PCC – Police Complaints Commission PPO – Provincial Police Officer PPSC – Provincial Public Safety Commission PROMIS – Police Record and Office Management Information System PSP – Police Services of Pakistan Roola – metal rod Roznamcha – a register for recording the daily activities of a police station RPO – Regional Police Officer Sardar – tribal chief SHO – Station House Officer Sifarish – recommendation SIU – Special Investigating Unit SSP – Senior Superintendent of Police Thana – police station Wadera – a Sindhi term for a feudal landowner WAR – War Against Rape Zamindar – landowner Summary I have no hope of getting justice in this crooked system. —Umar Daraz, Karachi, January 2016 How do you expect us to recover stolen items from hardened criminals? Do you think they will agree if we say, ‘Be nice to us and return what you stole?’ —Police officer, details withheld, Pakpattan, November 2014 My staff and I are expected to be on duty 24 hours a day. We are perpetually exhausted…. How can you expect people to work under such conditions and not crack? —Police officer, details withheld, Pakpattan, November 2014 On July 12, 2010, Allah Rakha’s son died before his eyes, shot dead by police. Neither side disputes that officers killed Shahbaz, 24, on that day. What they do disagree upon are the circumstances in which he died and the reasons